Pneumatic-despatch system.



No..674,373. Patented May 2|, 190i.

m. ANDERSON. PNEUMATIC DES PATCH SYSTEM.

(Application filed Dec. 5, 1898.!

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

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no; 674,373.- Patented May 2:,1901.

m. ANDERSON.

PNEUMATIC DESPATGH SYSTEM.

- (Application filed Dec. 6, 1898.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheats-Sheet 2.

wmd/ mam WW8 nt m m: cams PEYEHS co. rumour-Ho" WASNYNGTON n UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

MAURICE ANDERSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PN EU MATlC-DES PATCH SYSTEM.

- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 674,373, dated May21, 1901.

Application filed December 5, 1898. Serial No. 698,310. (No model.)

To all whomt't may concern:

Be it known that I, MAURICE ANDERSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Ohicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Pneumatic-DespatchSystoms, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to pneumatic-despatch systems, and has for itsobject to provide a new and improved construction therefor.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, whereinFigurel is a view showing the discharge and receiving ends of a seriesof pneumatic tubes as they appear at the cashiers desk. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal section on line 2 2, Fig. 1, showing the cash-box inposition in the return-tube. Fig. 3 is a section on line 3 3, Fig. 2,when the cash-box is closed. Fig. 4 is'a view similar to Fig. 3 when thecashbox is partially open at the time when it is inserted into thereturn-tube. Fig. 5 is a plan view of one'form of cash-box, showing thecash-box closed. Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, showing thecash-box open.

Like letters refer to like parts throughout the several figures.

My present invention is adapted to be used in connection withpneumatic-despatch systems of any description. As herein 'illustrated, Ihave shownit as applied to such systems as are used in stores forfacilitating the handling of money and the like. In such systems, forexample, a series of tubes run to a central station, generally thecashiers desk, from different parts of the store, and one person orcashier attends to a series of these tubes, removing the money from thecash-boxes and returning the proper change, due. Experience has shownthat the cashier often inserts the wrong cash-box in the wrongreturn-tube, so that it may be returned to a point entirely diiferentfrom that from which it was received. This causes confusion and delayand often loss of money to the proprietors of the store. One of theobjects of my present invention is to insure the proper return of thecash-boxes to the points from which they were received, and thus avoidall these difliculties.

In Fig. 1 I have illustrated the ends of a series of tubes as they wouldappear at the cashiers desk. It is of course evident that one cashiercan attend to a number of tubes, and I have not attempted to show acomplete arrangement, but have shown several tubes, so as to moreclearly illustrate my invention. As illustrated in this figure, thetubes A are the discharge-tubesthat is, the tubes through which thecash-boxes are received by the cashier. The tubes B are thereturntubesthat is, the tubes in which the cashboxes are placed so as tobe returned to the points from which they were received. When the end ofthe cash-box is inserted in one of the tubes B, the air causes it to bedrawn within said tube provided it is the proper cash-box for said tube,and it is then carried along to its destination in the ordinary manner.In order to insure the proper cash-box being placed in the properreturn-tube, I provide the return-tube with what may be called Isociated therewith so arranged that when the wrong cash-box is placed inthe wrong returntube it is stopped before it goes beyond the control ofthe cashier, so as to give the cashier an opportunity to withdraw it andput it into the tube in which it belongs. As illustrated in thedrawings, I provide the return-tube B with a suitable guide 0. The endsD D of the cash-box D are provided with suitable grooves D D for theguide 0, said grooves being in alinement when the cash box is completelyclosed, so as to permit the cashbox to be inserted in the return-tube.Each tube is preferably provided with a suitable engaging device whichengages the cash-box when it is placed in the Wrong tube and prevents itfrom being carried to its destination. As illustrated in -the drawings,I have shown this engaging device as consisting of a lever or pivotedarm E, provided with the projecting ends E E The tube B is provided withsuitable openings opposite these ends, so that they may be moved toproject partly into the tube. When the cash-box is inserted into thetube, the upper end D of the cashbox strikes the end E of the arm E andmoves it downwardly, thus moving the end E of the arm E upwardly intothe tube. Ordinarily the end E of the arm E when in this position wouldengage the end of the cash-box and prevent its further movement. In thepresent instance this will be the case when the wrongcash-box is placedin the tube, and hence the cashiers attention will be attracted to themistake. In fact, it will be impossible to get the cash-box into thetube, thus making it necessary for the cashier to put it into the righttube. In order to allow the cashbox to pass the obstruction when placedin the proper tube, I have the relative position of the guide C and thearm E different in the several tubes under the supervision of any oneperson, and I provide a groove D in the rear end D of the cash-box, sopositioned .that when the proper cash-box is placed in the return-tubeand the cash-box is properly closed the groove D is opposite the end Eof the arm E and permits the box to he slid past the said end withoutobstruction. It will thus be seen that when any other than the properbox is placed in a tube the groove D will not be in the proper relativeposition, and hence the end E of the arm E will obstruct the passage ofthe box. It will thus be seen that all difiiculty from the returning ofthe cashboxes to the wrong stations is entirely obviated and mistakes ofthis kind are made impossible.

When my invention is used, the simplest form is that in which the sameend is always placed first in the tube, and in order to facilitate theoperation of the cashier I provide some means by which this end may beeasily recognized. For example, I may make the end D of adifferentcolorfrom the end D so that it will be easy to ascertain which end is tobe inserted first. Of course, this element is not necessary, but makesit easier to handle the cash-boxes, for if the wrong end is placed inthe tube the cashier will soon discover it and must necessarily correctthe error. I have also found that there is difficulty in these pneumaticsystems caused by the boxes sticking at curves and the like. I furtherfind that this difficulty is mostly due to the fact that the boxes areimproperly closed when placed in the return-tube and the material as,for example, the coin or bills-project through the opening and cause thebox to stick. This evil is prevented with the use of my device, forsince the ordinary box is opened and closed by rotating the ends D and Dwith relation to each other (see Fig. 6) the box must be entirely closedbefore the groove D will be brought to the proper relative position toallow the passage of the box past the end E of the arm E. Fig. 3,forexample, shows the box closed and in the proper tube, the end E beingin the groove D. Fig. 4 shows the same box not completely closed, and itwill be seen that in this case the groove D is moved out of position, sothat the end E strikes the end of the cash-box and prevents its furthermovement.

I have described in detail a particular construction embodying myinvention; but it is of course evident that the several parts inay bevaried in form, construction, and arrangement without departing from thespirit of my invention.

For illustrative purposes I have shown my invention applied to acash-carrier system and but one form of the several specified parts,though I do not wish thereby to be understood as limiting myself to thisparticular use of the invention or to the particular details ofconstruction here illustrated.

I claim- 1. A despatch system, comprising a series of return-tubesleading to different points, but having their receiving ends inproximity to each other, a series of boxes differing among themselvesand adapted to be passed each through a particular tube, and engagingdevices associated one with each tube and differing among themselves,each such engaging device adapted to permit the insertion of the properbox and prevent the passage of any others. i

2. A despatch system, comprising a series of return-tubes leading todiiferent points, but having their receiving ends in proximity to eachother, a series of boxes differing among them selves and provided eachwith a two-part controlling device, so arranged that only when the boxis closed it is adapted to be passed through a particular tube, andengaging devices associated one with each tube and diifering amongthemselves, each such engaging device adapted to permit the insertion ofthe proper box and to prevent the passage of any other.

3. In a despatch system, the combination of a despatch-tube, having areceiving end, with a carrier-box, said carrier-box provided with atwo-part controlling element, said two parts movable with reference toeach other, and a coacting controller part on the tube which operates inconnection with the controller part on the box to permit the same topass into the tube only when the box is wholly closed.

4. A despatch system, comprising a series of return-tubes leading todifferent points, but having their receiving ends in proximity to eachother, a series of boxes differing among themselves and each havingslotted ends which register only when the boxes are fully closed, aguide within such receiving end, and engaging devices associated onewith each receiving end and differing among themselves, each suchengaging device adapted to permit the insertion of the proper box andprevent the passage of any others.

5. A despatch system, comprising a series of return-tubes leading todifferent points and having their receiving ends in proximity to eachother, a series of boxes differing among themselves and adapted to bepassed each through a particular tube, engaging devices associated onewith each tube and consisting of a pivotal double-ended piece at eachreceiving end, a coacting groove on the box,

each such engaging device adapted to permit the insertion of the properbox and prevent the passage of any others.

5 6. In a despatch system, the combination of a tube with a receivingend, carrying a double-pointed pivoted piece and a guidepiece, with abox having grooves to receive the guide, and a further groove to receiveone end of the pivoted piece when the opposite 10 end thereof isdepressed by engagement with such box.

MAURICE ANDERSON.

Witnesses: V

DONALD M. CARTER,

HOMER L. KRAFT.

